Dark! - Are my Monitors to Blame?

[jerboshow]

I'm running a duel monitor set up with my G5. Got two VGA LCD's that look good for the most part, but he video is dark!

I've tried and tried and tried to recalobrate with systems displays and also on the monitors themselves. I know that it's not the video because it outputs to DVD with the same look as how it was captured. So the video itself is not being altered.

Quick time, DVD player, and Final Cut all apear very dark.

I'm thinking I may go buy an apple monitor and try this as a last resort.
Have any of you experienced this? Is there a way to adgust that I am unaware of?

Jerrod

 

[MarkG]

Video always looks dark on computer monitors in my experience... I've just got used to working with dark video and checking it on the TV afterwards.

 

[jerboshow]

What!?!

What!?!

Is this the truth? And I'm just now getting this info? I would never even have considered this as a possible career choice had I known!!!

 

[BigBeaner]

Do you know how to use a waveform monitor? That's what it's there to help tell you and keep broadcast standards.

http://www.execulink.com/~impact/scopes.htm

http://videoproductions.com.au/html/waveform-vectorscope.html

It'll tell you what it really is.

 

[wickedelf]

I use a 19" tv conneected to my computer through an rca jack. That way I can see what it will really look like. And yes, all monitors seem to be darker than final output really is.

 

[Alessandro Machi]

I use a 19" tv conneected to my computer through an rca jack. That way I can see what it will really look like. And yes, all monitors seem to be darker than final output really is.

One of the pitfalls of computer editing is it leads to incorrect belief systems such as the one above. You may even be correct in what you say, but the fact that people aren't taking the initiative to recalibrate their monitors is a bad thing. Even if the computer screen were "darker" it should be adjustable so that it arrives back to default. Your monitors have to be calibrated EXACTLY for you to even attempt any kind of competent color and video level correction.

 

[professor aire]

See, I have my monitors setup at a point where generally my on-screen video output is much brighter than the final output video... If I need to hold a video at broadcast standards then I find a way to get my hands on a reference monitor; which is pretty much one of the only ways to guarantee a proper image reference... Most editors have color bars built in so output your color bars and configure your reference monitor to display them properly. The biggest downfall to this is that a good reference monitor is a lot of money. If you don't have access to one then find yourself a good TV and do your best to calibrate it the same way; just be aware that you won't be looking at a perfect representation... However, if the video's just for basic purposes it'll often service just fine. And if you can get your VGA monitors calibrated properly be aware that it might take your eyes a little while to adjust to the overall look of the display, since we most often have the bright/contrast levels adjusted differently to satisfy our own tastes.

In reference to the original issue posted: I don't use Macs often so I can't tell you about the way to go about fixing it, but I know for a fact that with certain driver sets for many PC cards you can reconfigure only the displayed video for your system monitors. They often come pre-configured...I guess you could say a little odd, and would result in your darkened video issue.